While the result goes down as a loss, the Nipissing Lakers women's basketball team has to be much happier with their performance Saturday night.
After a tough loss Friday, the Lakers bounced back nicely and put together a full 40 minute effort, come up on the wrong end of a 76-67 game versus the Brock Badgers.
The Badgers used a quick start to build up a lead and sealed the game in the fourth, but in the middle of the game, Nipissing climbed their way back, took the lead and played some of their best basketball of the year.
After trailing 26-8 after the first, the Lakers fought back and outscored Brock 22-11 in the second quarter and found themselves down just seven points at the half.
In the third, it was more of the same for Nipissing, as they finished the frame outscoring the Badgers 17-13 and closed the gap even further.
In fact, Nipissing scored 12 straight points early in the third quarter to turn a 42-35 deficit into a 47-42 lead.
Unfortunately, the Lakers couldn't hold on.
Brock battled back to keep things close and in the fourth, outscored Nipissing 25-20 to grab the victory.
Michaela Branker led the way with 20 points,
Claire Abbott had 16 and
Heidi Smith added eight for Nipissing.
Jamie Soffer and
Mackenzie Bahm also combined for 13 points for the Lakers.
Nipissing now hits the road for a pair of games next weekend, facing Carleton and Ottawa in the Nation's Capital.